ralphy
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Re:why they leave the watchtower - 2005/04/28 07:31
They also noted Acts, 15:20, 29 where it is commanded that we are to "abstain from blood." The meaning of this Scripture is more ambiguous, but it clearly is a response by the early Christians to the Mosaic law which was not given to all humankind but the Jews only. From the context, it likely referred the four major sins, one of which is murder. Thus the term "blood guilt" refers to murder, and the phrase "abstain from blood" or, as some manuscripts state, "abstain from bloodshed," likely refers to committing or contributing to homicide or death in some way.
I enjoyed your essay, but may I humbly disagree with the above portion. I disagree that Acts 15 is about homocide. I prefer the argument made by Raymond Franz in his book In Search of Christian Freedom page 300. The things to be abstained from were from Leviticus 17:7-9 which said that even non-Jews should abstain from some things under mosaic law. The decision was indeed about eating blood, but not because it was against God's law, or a taboo subject, but as a compromise on a specific issue at a specific time in history when unity between Christian Jews and Christian gentiles was important to spread the faith in Christ. The letters sent out from the Apostles about this were not some form of law, please read in context.
Franz refers on page 307 to 1 Cor 8:1-12. where Paul said the only reason Christians should not eat (unbled) meat sacrificed to idols was, not because it was against some law (except perhaps the royal law of love). The only reason to abstain would be in case it caused harm to a spiritually weaker brother. I think Franz's comments only make your argument stronger.
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